Every April, WLRC and CAN draws the campus’s attention to Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a time when universities and organizations around the country give focus to the pervasive nature of gender-based violence. A hallmark of SAAM’s programming remains the centering of the voices and perspectives of survivors to guide how we do prevention work and shape how we talk about the problem and the solutions.

The New York Times recently reported on Dolores Huerta’s experiences of sexual violence during her time helping to lead the U.S. farmworkers’ movement and to create the United Farm Workers union. Her interview with Maria Hinojosa was heartbreaking, enraging and eye-opening, all at once. Women experiencing sexual violence even as they work for social justice in the context of social movements is not new to those who read history, or who read the silences in - and between the lines of - the stories that women activists tell about their experiences as they devote their lives to changing the world and undoing oppressive conditions that so many face. Scholars of new social movements have long shown that regardless of the focus of movements - whether they be nationalist, labor, environment, etc. - the fair and respectful treatment of women in that movement is often seen as secondary to and even a distraction from the larger goals of the movement. Dolores herself notes that the main reason that she waited until she was 96 years old to disclose the tremendous harm done to her was because to do so during the movement would have derailed the movement and undone all of what it has accomplished to that point. Derailed. Because the problem is [was] so deep, pervasive, and intractable that there was no choice but to stop everything and pay attention to the movement leaders’ abuses of power and the many harms and costs that women were silently bearing. There are many lessons to ponder. But what we know is that as long as patriarchal values, and all its permutations and lives, undergird how we live, love and organize, no space is really safe from gender-based violence, even the ones we create to address other kinds of structural violence. I hope that women will continue to speak their truth about the personal costs of trying to create societies that are more just. I also hope that current movement leaders and participants alike can learn from the dangers of supporting, promoting, and emboldening messianic leadership. What happened to Dolores was deeply wrong and that wrong reverberates through generations. When members of MeSA (Mexican Students de Aztlan) and FUA (Fearless Undocumented Alliance) reached out to WLRC to push for a conversation about how to respond to and heal from sexual harms like those endured by Dolores, I felt their pain. The young women who look to her as elder and inspiration are asking, if this can happen to her, what is possible for me? The answer to that question depends, in part, on how honestly we who are veterans and leaders answer the question of how power actually operates in social movements, and what we put our energies towards changing so that younger generations don’t have to fight the same battles that Dolores did.

WLRC is taking one small step in helping the current generation of activists at UIC deal with these issues. 

Read the rest of the note here...

Please join us this month to learn how to support survivors, build healthy relationships, and create a culture of care and action at UIC and beyond! GO.UIC.EDU/SAAM

Dreaming Up a Violence-Free Campus
Monday, April 6

CupShup: Baat Pakki. Now What?!
Wednesday, April 8

Fetishized: Book Talk with Kaila Yu
Thursday, April 9

On the Rocks
Tuesday, April 14

Sex Ed After Dark: Sex Toy Bingo & Trivia
Tuesday, April 21

Queer Stories: I Used to Be Funny
Tuesday, April 28

[ID: A list of events in white text on a teal gradient background. At the top is a teal awareness ribbon with the UIC circle logo and "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" next to it in white. Behind this are images from various event posters.]

Monday, April 6
1-2:30pm | WLRC, 1700 Student Services Building
Audience: UIC Students, Staff, Faculty

What does a campus free from sexual violence, abuse, and harassment look and feel like? Join us for an afternoon of artmaking and imagining the possibilities for a kinder, safer UIC.

No art skills necessary! Come hang out in a relaxed atmosphere where you can draw, collage, color, and make buttons and stickers, all while dreaming of a better world. Lunch and art materials provided!

[ID: Light blue silhouettes of various UIC campus buildings with hearts and sun rays rising from them. Above them is "Dreaming Up a Violence-free Campus" in black block and cursive lettering with colorful, elegant flowers woven between and through the letters. Below them are details about the event.]

Wednesday, April 8
1-2:30pm | WLRC, 1700 Student Services Building
Audience: UIC Students

Join us for a workshop on building healthy, intentional relationships! Through games and fun activities, we'll explore consent, boundaries, and communication within romantic, friend, and family relationships.

While the conversation will center on South Asian/South Asian American experiences, the event is open to people of all cultures, identities, and gender identities and expressions.

[ID: At the bottom are three couples of various gender identities in various South Asian wedding outfits, with a grassy field beneath them. At the top is a yellow, orange, and pink flower garland. In the center is "CupShup: Baat Pakki. Now What?!" in pink letters and details about the event (same info on this page) and another couple.]

Wednesday, April 8
3:30-5:30pm | WLRC & Zoom
Audience: UIC Faculty, Postdoctoral Scholars, Staff

Join a panel of senior women faculty at UIC to hear their perspectives on what new faculty need to navigate an academic career successfully during these times, and how mentoring relationships and practices can help.

Featured speakers:

[ID: Five women UIC faculty members, shown from the chest up, on a purple background. At the top is "Making Mentoring Matter in These Times." At the bottom are details about the event.]

Thursday, April 9
5:30-7pm | 1-470 Daley Library & Zoom
Audience: Everyone (open to the public)

Join us for a special event with debut author Kaila Yu as she discusses her book, Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty.

[ID: The cover of Fetishized, which features a black and white photo of author Kaila Yu from the chest up, looking at the camera. Below that are two sets of hands holding open books. To the right of the images are details about the book talk event.]

Tuesday, April 14
3:30-6:30pm | Student Recreation Facility
Audience: UIC Students, Staff, Faculty

Gather for a night of mocktails, music, and climbing while building community and supporting women at UIC! All skill levels are welcome. Gear is provided. Come climb, relax, and enjoy time together in a welcoming space.

[ID: Three people climbing up ice cubes and a lemon wedge in a tall drink glass with a straw inside it. Behind the glass are silhouettes of people's faces. Above and below are details about the On the Rocks event.]

Monday, April 6
12-1:30pm | Latino Cultural Center
Audience: Everyone (open to the public)

Join us for some hands-on gardening and learn how Heritage Garden interns are connecting horticulture with environmental sustainability, cultural diversity, and social justice. 

[ID: Two photos of Heritage Garden interns tending to gardens at UIC, surrounded by info about the Heritage Garden internship.]

Saturday, April 11
2-4pm | Latino Cultural Center
Audience: Everyone (open to the public)

We invite gardeners, organizations, and community members interested in learning more about gardening, environmental sustainability, and social justice. Anyone can come to share knowledge, stories, and resources with others, and make new friends from around the city. 

[ID: A yellow flower and an open suitcase that has been transformed into a seed library, surrounded by info about the Heritage Garden Spring Seed Swap.]

Meet Nate Chang Sawyer, CCUSC Community Mental Health Intern!

As the Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change (CCUSC) community mental health intern, Nate offers different kinds of 1:1 student support including but not limited to:

- mental health/therapeutic support
- connections to resources and mutual aid, and
- advocacy support while navigating institutional barriers and academic ableism.

As a Taiwanese-American graduate student with lived experience of mental illness and psychiatric disability, Nate’s work is centered on collaborating with fellow students to imagine and build structures of collective care inside the university.

There are no costs or session caps. Meetings can be scheduled via email (nsawy@uic.edu) for both in-person and remote. Nate’s office is in 4080 BSB.

[ID: Info about services provided by CCUSC Community Mental Health Intern Nate Chang Sawyer.]

As the academic year progresses and many of you and your families are being impacted by the actions of ICE and their abductions, WLRC and the Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change (CCUSC) want to underline our ongoing support to you all. Remember that there are multiple pillars on campus to help you stay resolute in completing your studies.

As you continue to fight the good fight, know that you are not alone in the urgency you are feeling. Our space is open to study, gather in community, and check in with

staff. We are here to support your academic success through the end of the semester and beyond. We will continue to find courage in our solidarity and community, fight injustice, and build spaces of love and care.

Additional Campus Resources:

[ID: "Persevering through the Semester and Beyond: A message of support for our students" surrounded by monarch butterflies and school supplies, all on a purple background.]

Survivors, we are here for you!

Please reach out to the Campus Advocacy Network any time you need support, information, resources, answers, and/or advocacy related to safety, healing, or gender-based violence (sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking, harassment, family abuse).

Our services are free, confidential, and open to all members of the UIC community.

To connect with an advocate:

We can help you

We're also here for allies! Please reach out to us if you are in a role where you may need to support survivors on campus (instructors, mentors, advisors, student leaders, friends, or colleagues) or have questions about resources, mandated reporting, and more. 

[ID: A grey t-shirt with "Someone you love is a survivor" painted on it in red and white. Red and black hearts are scattered around the words.]

If you are a student leader, instructor, or supervisor, please consider inviting CAN to speak to your class through our Don’t Cancel Your Class! program, or request a training for your department, college, student organization, or other campus unit. 

[ID: Three students participating in a dating timeline activity on a tabletop.]

Faculty, please include info about us in your curriculum and syllabus:

"If you have experienced sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking, or harassment, there is help available. The Campus Advocacy Network provides free and confidential services to UIC students, faculty, and staff who have experienced or are experiencing interpersonal violence. 

Pregnant and parenting students are also welcome to contact CAN for resources, information, and support.

If you would like to speak with an advocate, please email CAN at can-appointment@uic.edu, call (312) 413-8206 and leave a voicemail message, text (312) 488-9784, or fill out CAN's Ask An Advocate form online at can.uic.edu/ask. To learn more, visit CAN's website at can.uic.edu."

[ID: A CAN team member standing next to a presentation screen and facilitating a discussion on how to respond to a disclosure of gender-based violence.]

Chicago City Council Latino Caucus Foundation: Annual Scholarship
Apply by April 10
Provides $5,000 to undergraduate students who are at least one-half Hispanic/Latino and residents of Chicago.

Cook County Health: Provident Scholarship
Apply by April 19
The Health Professionals Scholarship provides up to $20,000 to medical students and students in graduate-level clinical and behavioral health academic programs. The Allied Health Scholarship provides up to $10,000 to individuals pursuing allied health careers such as nursing, behavioral health, and students in select certification programs.

UIC Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement: Urban Public Policy Fellowship
Apply by May 3
Provides seminars covering public policy-making, advocacy, community development, and service provision. Open to undergraduate students from all academic areas.

UIC United Faculty: Apply for the Student Fast Fund
Provides grants of up to $500 to students in emergency financial situations. 

UIC Women in Engineering Programs: Women in Engineering Summer Program
June 13 - July 8 | Apply by April 4
WIESP is a free program that offers 11th- & 12th-grade students an opportunity to learn about engineering through hands-on projects and corporate partner visits. 

UIC Black Studies: Grace Holt Celebration: Black Creative Resistance
April 7-15
Each year, we uphold Grace Holt's commitment to Black Studies and celebrate our community through a keynote presentation, series of community and scholarly events, and recognition of students.

UIC Library: Poetry Talk with Kay Ulanday Barrett
Wednesday, April 8 | 2-3pm, 231 BSB & Zoom
Join us for an afternoon of poetry and conversation with Kay Ulanday Barrett, poet, performer, and educator, navigating life as a disabled Filipinx-amerikan transgender queer in the U.S. with struggle, resistance, and laughter. 

Chicago Abortion Fund: Pilsen Fund-A-Thon Community Gathering & Teach-In
Saturday, April 11 | 12-2pm, Pilsen Community Books
Whether you are new, a seasoned fundraiser, or interested in getting more involved, this is an opportunity to connect with the CAF community, hear updates about the abortion access landscape, and leave with some swag!

Chicago Abortion Fund: A Home Here: Post-Abortion Community Circle
Tuesday, April 14 | 7:30-9pm, Virtual
Each month, we collectively check in, engage in mindfulness/meditation practices, and participate in a facilitated discussion to share our experiences (or just listen!) as we build connection and widen abortion narratives.

UIC Police: Stronger Together: Domestic Violence Resource Fair
Wednesday, April 15 | 12-2pm, Student Center West
Learn more about local shelters, legal assistance, counseling services, hotlines, orders of protection, and other safety and support resources. WLRC's Campus Advocacy Network will have a table there--please stop by!

UIC Social Justice Initiative: Massacre River: The Woman Without a Country
Wednesday, April 15 | 6pm, Chicago Justice Gallery
Join us for a special documentary screening about race, statelessness, and the Dominican-Haitian borderlands. A discussion with Dr. Lorgia García Peña, Dr. Manoucheka Celeste, Dr. Natalie Bennett, and curator Lola Ayisha Ogbara follows.

Survivors.org: Trauma-informed Yoga Workshop
Tuesdays beginning April 21 | 6pm, Virtual
Offers survivors a free, virtual yoga practice that is gentle, grounding, and meets them where they're at.

UIC Counseling Center: Parenting Student Support Group
Thursdays | 12-1pm, Hybrid
Come as you are to connect, share experiences, and receive support from your peers. This support group is open to any UIC student who is a parent or caregiver in any way.

UIC Law Pro Bono Litigation Clinic: Free Name & Gender Marker Changes
Students assist transgender individuals with changing their names and identification documents, prepare necessary court documents, and appear in court on behalf of individuals at hearings. Includes court and document fees.

UIC Library: Upcoming Events
Check out events from the Undergraduate Engagement Program and other departments within the university library!

CAASE: Upcoming Events
The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) addresses the culture, institutions, and individuals that perpetrate, profit from, or support sexual exploitation through prevention, policy reform, community engagement, and legal service.

Resilience: Upcoming Events
Resilience works to end rape culture and empower sexual assault survivors through advocacy, education, and healing.

Check out what's happening at all our sibling centers this week!

Founded as a direct result of campus activism, the UIC Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change (CCUSC) work collectively to produce knowledge and shift university culture, validating the multidimensional lived experiences of historically and currently excluded communities.

Informed by social justice frameworks, the Centers support students, faculty, and staff as they build a strong identity and sense of belonging, becoming change agents for a more just campus and society.

The Centers connect our communities and design intercultural and engaged-learning opportunities, student mentorship programs, cultural programming, advocacy, collaborative research, and community partnerships.

Through these efforts, the Centers expand the educational and transformational mission of UIC.

In light of actual and potential threats to our communities, both here at UIC and throughout the Chicago area, it's important to know what our rights are when interacting with immigration and other federal law enforcement officers.

WHAT TO DO

UIC's administration has shared official protocols for such interactions on campus.

If you need assistance or suspect ICE presence anywhere in IL, please call the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) Hotline: 1-855-435-7693.

[ID: Details about ICIRR's Family Support Network Hotline: 855-435-7693.]

CAMPUS RESOURCES

UPCOMING TRAININGS & EVENTS

We are here for you and will continue to share resources and information with our campus community.

UIC Women’s Leadership and Resource Center
& Campus Advocacy Network

1700 Student Services Building (MC 363)
1200 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607

(312) 413-1025 ∙ wlrc@uic.edu ∙ wlrc.uic.edu

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